Best You Can Hope For
by TwinEnigma
Summary: Superman wasn't the only one that Cadmus cloned. Batman receives some disturbing information.
1. Chapter 1

_**Best You Can Hope For**  
_

_by TwinEnigma_

_AN: originally done as a response to the YJ-Anon-Meme. De-anoning like a boss.  
_

_Standard Disclaimer applies - I'm not DC, I don't own Young Justice or anyone therein._

* * *

**01**

Ever since the Cadmus incident and the discovery of project _Kr_ (current codename: Superboy), Batman has known it's a distinct possibility that each and every member of the Justice League could have been compromised in a similar fashion. Robin's disturbing rundown of their decision to download their memories, clone and replace them practically on the spot during his debriefing only led further credence to what would, under other circumstances, sound like the stuff of completely paranoid delusion. It made him wonder for quite some time after that if it would even be possible to tell the replacements from the originals (and, in the most haunting of nightmares, if his Robin had ever returned from that facility at all).

There were, of course, things Batman could do to make things more secure against this type of internal threat. Updating his plans to take down each and every member of the Justice League with the new members and the profiles of the Young Justice team is merely the first phase. Tightening the Watchtower mainframe's security, as well as the Manor's own, with increased security algorithms is the second step and unfortunately, as he well knows, a long-term project. He has Robin join him in training their minds to lock away information they don't want known and how to do this under duress similar to what Robin had experienced in the Cadmus Facility (Dick has nightmares, sometimes, after this training, but Bruce stays close and, sometimes, if they are lucky, Batman does not search Dick's exposed skin for the scars Cadmus wouldn't have had time to replicate).

Batman spends whatever time he can afford to look for links to Cadmus. Facilities like that cost money to run – lots of money – and it had to come from somewhere. Luthor is an obvious choice, but perhaps too obvious. Ra's is another likely candidate. And then there are the unknown players, the wild cards. There are a lot of people who'd like the Justice League either in their pocket or quietly disposed of. Certainly, more than one military organization would sell their souls to get their hands on even a quarter of the technology available to the League, and it wasn't like they hadn't stopped some particularly unsavory attempts at duplicating the powers of metas in the past. A lot of their problems would be solved if the Justice League were suddenly and inexplicably _programmed_ to be a little more amenable to sharing.

And as he is the most secretive, the most private with his technology, Superman's best friend, and the man with the keys to all the doors in the Watchtower, it only makes sense that Batman would be the logical choice to clone as well.

So, when the disc arrives on his desk, he is not surprised completely at the contents.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Best You Can Hope For**  
_

_by TwinEnigma_

_AN: originally done as a response to the YJ-Anon-Meme. De-anoning like a boss.  
_

_Standard Disclaimer applies - I'm not DC, I don't own Young Justice or anyone therein._

* * *

**02**

The envelope it arrives in is heavy parchment and perfumed, addressed to _Beloved, _and even before he sees her face on the video, he knows there is little time to act. Talia is not one to stand idly by if she feels wronged (and she does love him, as much as she is capable of, anyway).

There is no time to fire off a request for assistance to the Justice League. Young Justice is available – today was his turn to train with them and they have the benefit of experience with Cadmus facilities. It's a no-brainer. And when he tells them to suit up, that they have a top secret mission starting _now_, they jump without question (and it's at times like this when he worries most because they are just kids, dammit, and they have no business acting like soldiers).

Batman briefs them in-flight on the relevant details, where they're going, approximate facility size and expected number of guards. It is neither prudent nor necessary to inform them of the identity of the clones. Young Justice will be occupied with paralyzing the facility, disabling the guards and ge-gnomes, and releasing a virus into the Cadmus mainframe to ferret out other facilities. He alone will be dealing with what awaits him in that chamber, be it for good or ill. He can only hope that he will make it in time.

"Is that our target?" Kid Flash asks.

Smoke rises from the trees ahead of them, steadily growing closer on the screen, and Batman knows he is too late.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Best You Can Hope For**  
_

_by TwinEnigma_

_AN: originally done as a response to the YJ-Anon-Meme. De-anoning like a boss.  
_

_Standard Disclaimer applies - I'm not DC, I don't own Young Justice or anyone therein._

* * *

**03**

The facility is in ruins. Much of the upper facility is little more than concrete and twisted rebar, some of which spills into the exposed and gaping maw that is the central elevator shaft. Batman orders the team to work and watches as they pair off to get the fires under control and hunt for survivors. Only Superboy stands by, his expression troubled.

"You're going in there, aren't you?" Superboy asks. Nearby, Robin pauses, looking up.

"Yes," Batman replies.

"I want to go, too," Superboy says. His hands are balled into fists at his sides.

Robin hops over, never once losing his balance on the rubble, and stares at him. "Me, too."

"No," Batman says firmly. "You both have your orders."

"I'm going with you," Superboy says stubbornly. He shoots a pointed look at Robin. "There's a heartbeat coming from down there. I can lead you to it, but the whole place is unstable. I can help you if the place comes apart, Robin can't."

It's the smart decision and Batman knows what Superboy's trying to tell Robin, that Robin knows what he's really saying, and he knows he's right on both counts when Robin finally nods and backs down. The deal is done then – Robin's entrusting Superboy with his safe return.

"You are to tell no one what you see," Batman tells him and Superboy nods, obediently following him into the belly of the beast.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Best You Can Hope For**  
_

_by TwinEnigma_

_AN: originally done as a response to the YJ-Anon-Meme. De-anoning like a boss.  
_

_Standard Disclaimer applies - I'm not DC, I don't own Young Justice or anyone therein._

* * *

**04**

Batman finds what he's looking for at the bottom. Superboy has to shift some rubble and collapsed rafters around before he can pry open the door with the large black bat on it to allow Batman to pass. And, as Superboy had told him, there was only one heart beating in there. One. Just one. It could be one of the clones, it could be a scientist – there is simply no telling until he's in there.

"The heartbeat's coming from here," Superboy says. His face is a battleground of emotion. "That symbol on the door… does that… I mean…"

Batman stares at the boy, who pales a little and steps back. "Stay here."

He steels himself. He doesn't know what to expect when he enters and, even after seeing the footage Talia's disk contained, he still isn't quite prepared for the sight that greets him. Accepting the possibility is one thing. Seeing images on a screen is another. But when it's in the flesh, it's completely unsettling and jarring.

The clone is standing in the middle of the ruined lab. He is young, maybe two or three, and blood streams lazily from a fresh, but superficial wound on his forehead. He turns his eyes, flat and eerie, towards Batman, but does not move from his position. It is likely that this is the place he was last ordered to stand.

Behind him are the four glass tubes from the disk. Batman frowns, stepping over the body of a scientist, and approaches them. Inside the first is a pale shadow of the man he was at twenty-five, dead and with a noticeable cyanotic tinge to his skin. The second tube contains a younger version, this one maybe Superboy's own age, and he, too, has noticeable signs of cyanosis. Tapping into their computers, thankfully isolated from the main generator, he checks the vital status and is horrified to realize that the tubes had been flooded with a suffocating poisonous gas when the base's self-destruct was triggered.

"Batman," Superboy calls out. He enters the room and nearly shrinks back at the sight of the clone, but then seems to pull himself together and hurries towards Batman. "There's a second heartbeat. Faint. I couldn't really hear it clearly."

Batman turns, hurrying towards the last tube, the only one with a remaining occupant. This one is small, younger than Robin, and his lips are already blue, but there's just the barest perceptible rise and fall of the boy's chest. A piece of concrete had crushed the corner, smashing the glass just enough to spare his life for a while. One good kick and the whole panel gave.

"Get that oxygen mask," he orders, hauling the boy out and making his way towards the other, who watches him place the older-looking clone next to him on the ground.

Superboy moves fast, returning with the mask and tank necessary. Time is of the essence.

"He's probably going to need a hospital," Batman notes absently, "I want you to take him up top. Keep him on the oxygen and come right back."

Superboy nods, carefully scooping up the child and entire oxygen apparatus. He leaves and it is just Batman, alone with the smallest clone.

"Turn your head to the right," Batman orders, his hand drifting to the medical supplies in his belt. The child does so and he gently begins to clean the boy's head wound. "This may sting a bit, but you probably won't need stitches. It's just a scratch."

The boy looks at him and he wonders in horrified awe how it is possible that a child this young can look so old. There is no trust here, just wariness, learned emotional withdrawal and obedience.

"What have they done to you?" he asks.

The boy doesn't answer and he can hear Superboy returning.

"Take him up," he orders gruffly, and stands, pulling a wad of plastique from his utility belt. "I still have one thing to do."

It's not a proper cremation, but it will have to do.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Best You Can Hope For**  
_

_by TwinEnigma_

_AN: originally done as a response to the YJ-Anon-Meme. De-anoning like a boss.  
_

_Standard Disclaimer applies - I'm not DC, I don't own Young Justice or anyone therein._

* * *

**05**

It isn't until they're back at base and the two boys are sleeping in the infirmary that Superboy approaches Batman once more.

"What will happen to them?" he asks.

Batman closes his eyes and is glad his back is to the young Kryptonian. "They'll be given to a foster family, one that specializes in trauma cases."

"But, they're… don't you want them?" Superboy asks. "I thought…"

Batman understands. He does and, lord knows, he'd promised himself that if he were in Superman's shoes, he'd do right by his clone instead of avoiding the issue. But sometimes really doing right by someone, instead of what everyone thinks is right, is doing the hard thing and the situation isn't exactly the same as before. "I'd risk exposing my secret identity if they were to come with me now. Both Robin and I would be in danger then."

"But…" he starts.

"When you came to Young Justice, you were like them," Batman interrupts. "But you learned from everyone here and you became something more than what you were made to be. You are more and you will be greater still. One day, you may even surpass Superman. I want that same opportunity for these two, but they are much younger and they need to learn from those best equipped to teach them at that age. Do you understand?"

Superboy bows his head. The conflict plays across his features. "I guess."

Batman nods and turns to leave. Robin is waiting in the doorway. He's heard everything, but that is to be expected.

"Besides, it's not like foster care is permanent," Robin adds cheekily. "I'll be corrupting Terry and Matt with my awesome skills before you even know it."

Batman gave him a pointed look.

"Come on, they _need_ names," Robin says, practically bouncing on his toes. "And they're totally cool names. Kid Flash was suggesting stuff like Smeagol and Pippen. I will disown you if you allow that, by the way."

Batman rolls his eyes, letting Robin tug on his arm. "Why don't you explain to your teammate the intricacies of foster care and adoption?"

Robin mouths an 'oh' of realization, detaches himself from his mentor's arm and runs straight for Superboy.

Batman would give it some time. If they came back to fly as bats, it would at least be their choice and not because they were engineered to. And really, that was the best he could hope for in this situation.

* * *

_AN: A bonus clone!Matt to go with clone!Terry._


End file.
